given everything a country has been through, from a superstar and sandy to the tragedy in newtown, the last thing americans need is for politicians to refuse to compromise, putting the brakes on economic growth and job creation. i urge my colleagues to end the political charade. let's get back to the serious task of negotiating a balanced deficit-reduction plan. let's do it now, today, we can do it. >> the gentleman from wisconsin. >> mr. speaker, i want to add my congratulations to the gentlewoman from new york and become the ranking member of the appropriations committee. she has our respect and congratulations. i would like to yield one minute to the distinguished majority leader. >> i thank the gentleman from wisconsin, chairman of the budget committee. mr. speaker, i rise today to urge support for the measures before us to replace the sequester and reduce the deficit and extend permanent tax relief to the middle-class and hundreds of thousands of small business people. for the past weeks and months, as people have been looking for jobs and budgeting for their expenses, we have bee